Ask the Governor to SIGN HB 332 - Special Needs Tax Credit Scholarships

Please contact Governor Herbert and ask him to sign HB 332, a bill that creates Special Needs Tax Credit Scholarships. This parental choice bill provides additional options to families with special needs students.

• This scholarship will help families struggling to find solutions an opportunity to choose the education options that best meet their child’s unique learning needs.
• Utah parents need a solution that is more flexible and most importantly can serve many more special needs students.
• This bill allows parents to use some of the income tax dollars that they are already paying to pursue education opportunities of their choice.
• HB 332 focuses on those students who need it the most.
• HB 332 uses a proven funding model that is used in over 20 other states.
• The end result of these tax credits would actually be a win-win,  increasing per-pupil spending for Utah students, while allowing parents to choose the best options to fit their child's needs.

Contact the governor's office: You can call directly: 801-538-1000 
You can use this online form to send a message/email the Governors Office: https://servicecloudtrial-155c0807bf-158b6dc6793.force.com/governor/s/comments​

Some FAQs about HB332:

What is the revenue source for this new scholarship? This new special needs scholarship will be funded using income tax credits, therefore avoiding taking funds directly out of the education fund.

What is a tax credit scholarship? Tax credit scholarships are funded by corporate and individual taxpayers who divert all or a portion of their state income taxes to non-profit organizations who then, in turn, provide scholarships to students in need.

Is this tax credit scholarship capped and if so, how will it grow? This new special needs scholarship caps how much each taxpayer could give at $1 million and caps the overall program at $6 million. Built into the program is a growth mechanism that allows that overall cap to increase each year there is sufficient demand for the scholarship program. If a 90% threshold of donations is reached in relation to the cap, then the cap itself will increase 10% next year.

Would this program just be for private school tuition? No, this new special needs scholarship would operate as a Flexible Education Spending Account. You, the parent would be able to spend the money on a variety of educational products and services that would best benefit your child.

Who would be eligible for this scholarship? The same conditions that currently allow a student to qualify for an IEP (Individual Education Plan) are used to determine who would be eligible as outlined by federal law.

What are some examples of what products and services the scholarship could be used for? The following isn’t an exhaustive list: tutoring, online classes and/or curriculum, private school tuition, educational therapy, mentoring, textbooks, specialized software, and equipment.

What would the amount of the scholarship be? Students exiting the public school system would be eligible for scholarships up to around $7,000 (2 WPUs). Students that are already in a private school or homeschooled would be eligible for scholarships up to around $3,500 (1 WPU). These caps would automatically increase year to year.

Who would oversee these non-profit organizations that would grant the scholarships? The State Board of Education and State Tax Commission would oversee the scholarship granting organizations
​
How would families actually be able to use these funds?In other states that use these kinds of funding models, there are three primary ways funds are dispersed: debit card, a third-party “marketplace” app, and traditional physical checks.

Read HB 332: le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/HB0332.html